Wednesday, 21 November 2012

Roberts d fin longboard

This beautiful Roberts d-fin was also owned from new by Tom's uncle (see Hobie for sale blogpost from a couple of weeks ago ) . Tom's uncle was a successful businessman, travelling over to the US for work trips- and apparently buying surfboards too !

"The first board was bought in Santa Monica from Roberts who was one of the best local board makers in Los Angeles. It was custom built to what he thought might accommodate my disabilities! I saw it in various stages of construction and I do believe it's well built. I think it was in summer 1959.

I spent some time in the early 60's in Hawaii and sought out Hobie Alter's workshop. He was building boards for the bigger Hawaiian surf. I got carried away a bit by ambition and bought one he was making.

Tom, Both Jane and I used to use them down in Cornwall and they performed beautifully.The blue one has also tried the surf south of Biarritz and off the coast of Portugal. “

The two boards have been hung up in his uncles' garage at his house near Bristol since the 70s, and are in near mint condition. The Roberts looks almost as good as new, with white foam, very wide balsa stringer and stunning blue tint. The dark blue on the rails isnt original. Beautiful d-fin too with minimal wear. I didn't know Roberts, and it turns out they were a small but important company turning out quality boards with shaper Bob Millner I think .This must have been a hell of a board in 1959/1960.
Lucky Tom had been given both boards by his uncle, and since he's not a surfer he wanted to sell them and buy a guitar. I tried to buy the Roberts as although its not British its a stunner, but my offer was bettered by a chap called Stuart Matthews (well known bore rider ) who bought both boards.The Roberts went for £600.

This is how the boards sat in storage, unsurfed, covered in dust, but well ventilated and kept out of sunlight. Hence their great condition now.